Although a written agreement is only required by law if a tenancy is for a fixed term of three years or more, it is good practice to have one, particularly since a verbal agreement can be hard to enforce. Before you sign, ensure you understand all the implications.
In the absence of a written agreement, your landlord must provide you with a statement, in writing, of the terms agreed.
The Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) is the most usual type of agreement. Under it, your landlord has the right to ask you to vacate the property at the end of an agreed term, and to take action through the courts if you fail to do so. He is not, however, obliged to fix a term at the beginning of the tenancy. In the absence of a fixed term, or when the fixed term ends, the tenancy can continue on a rolling basis known as a ‘periodic tenancy’.
With thanks to BuyAssociation.
